MONTREAL — Premier Li Keqiang on Sept 23 visited Montreal Canadiens, a renowned Canadian ice hockey team, and dropped the first puck for a training match.

Accompanied by his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau, Premier Li traveled to Bell Centre, and the two leaders were briefed about the history of the club, which was founded in 1909 and has won 24 National Hockey League championships.

In the team’s locker room, he and Trudeau were presented with Montreal Canadiens jerseys emblazoned with their respective names and the number 1.

“It fits me well,” said Premier Li, who added that with the jersey he became an honorary member of Montreal Canadiens.

Wearing the jerseys, both leaders entered the rink, giving high-fives with young players waiting for them.

Premier Li said he was pleased to experience Canada’s national sport together with Trudeau in Montreal, the cradle of ice hockey.

Then the two leaders dropped the ceremonial first puck for a training game of young players of Chinese origin and cheered from time to time the energetic moves of the children.

Premier Li arrived in Montreal from Ottawa, where he kicked off his first Canada trip as Chinese premier on Sept 21. It was also the first visit to Canada by a Chinese head of government in 13 years.

From Montreal, he will travel to Cuba to continue his ongoing overseas trip, which has already taken him to a series of high-level UN meetings and interactions with US bigwigs in New York.